New Evidence Reveals Coastal Birds Need Both Stewardship and Restoration
We can better protect birds on beaches by addressing human disturbance and habitat loss simultaneously.
Restoring the Gulf of Mexico
Building a resilient Gulf Coast for birds and people.
The Gulf of Mexico is one of America’s great ecological treasures.
The region is home to a vast array of bird species and other wildlife, including 11 of Audubon’s flagship species as well as six Audubon priority species. These species use the Gulf at some point during their life cycles, for breeding, overwintering or as a migratory stopover. These species represent at least 300 other species and the ecosystem on which they depend.
Audubon is committed to restoring the Gulf of Mexico by focusing on priority habitats for these and other species, from Texas to Florida and out to the open ocean. The challenges facing the wildlife and human communities in the Gulf have been, and will continue to be, significant. For that reason, Audubon is working to monitor the health of birds and the places they need in the aftermath of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster.
Through sound science, policy leadership, and habitat conservation and restoration, Audubon and our partners are protecting and revitalizing ecosystems battered by natural and human-made disasters, and advancing measures to protect birds in the face of overdevelopment, extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and other climate change impacts. Now, with unprecedented funding available for Gulf restoration and a greater need for effective conservation, we’re implementing four strategies to protect, enhance, and rebuild bird habitat:
- Monitoring of flagship and priority bird species
- Strategic conservation planning and advocacy
- Coastal conservation and restoration through collaborative partnerships and programs, like the Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition
- Long-term stewardship
Comprehensive Gulf Restoration Plan
Here's our vision on how to protect birds and people of the Gulf of Mexico from threats like sea-level rise and storm surge, and to help the region recover from devastating hurricanes, the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, and other environmental and human-made disasters.
The projects and programs highlighted in this report will directly benefit key bird species, while setting the region on a path to long-term environmental health and resilience.
Read Our Plan for Gulf Restoration
To make our coastal communities stronger and to protect habitat vital for birds and other wildlife, Audubon is recommending an investment of more than $1.7 billion dollars across the 5 Gulf states and regionally to fund a suite of 30 projects that are crucial to help the region’s birds recover.
Audubon scientists identified over 8 million acres of suitable habitat for priority bird species across the Gulf that should be prioritized for restoration and conservation. These habitats include barrier and bay islands, headland beaches, intertidal bars and flats, and saltwater marshes and range from south Texas to the Florida panhandle.
Latest News
Q&A with Erik Johnson on the Lasting Impact of the BP Oil Spill
From disaster to recovery, how the Deepwater Horizon explosion has affected the Gulf Coast for the last 15 years.
A Living Shoreline in Pensacola Creates Jobs and Protects People and Wildlife
This case study demonstrates the connections between our environment and economy, fifteen years after the BP oil spill.
A Nest-Protecting Program Pays Off for Alabama’s Snowy Plovers
After five years in which almost no chicks survived, more of the shorebirds are fledging since Alabama Audubon and volunteers adopted some simple but effective measures to help them.
Louisiana’s Maurepas Swamp Gets a Much-needed Revival
The state’s latest project will restore the swamp’s role as a haven for birds and a defense against flooding.
Welcome to the Island Where Egrets Rule
A century ago, Audubon Texas made a commitment to protecting birds along the Texas coast. They started here.
Louisiana’s Most Ambitious Coastal Restoration Project Finally Takes Off
By redirecting Mississippi River sediment, the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion will combat the state’s land-loss crisis.
Celebrate Audubon Texas’s Centennial with a Virtual Tour of the Coast
A new online explorer reveals the importance of the Texas Coast for birds across the hemisphere.
The Common Tern
Connecting the Gulf of Mexico to the Boreal Forest
A Plan to Keep Texas's Rookeries Rooted in Place
Without action, a century of bird conservation could wash away with these small islands on the Texas coast.
New Funding to Help Gulf Coast Beachgoers Share the Shore with Birds
Audubon leads a new collaborative effort to design more effective coastal stewardship and management plans for the Gulf of Mexico.
A Historic Moment for Large-scale Restoration in the Gulf
A new set of landmark projects will restore the damage the oil spill caused to birds and their habitats across the Gulf Coast.
Florida Defends Its Shores Ten Years After the BP Oil Disaster Was Finally Contained
As birds in the Gulf are still recovering, the Sunshine State faces a threat of expanded offshore drilling.
Finding Hope in the Story of the Brown Pelican
After 50 years of recovery, this iconic bird is a symbol of Gulf Coast resilience.
Iconic Gulf Coast Forests Get a Much-needed Boost
Birds in Alabama and Louisiana will benefit from a new $158 million investment to restore wetlands.
Birds That Depend on a Healthy Gulf
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